TRADE WITH EUROPE

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21582, 19 September 1935, Page 7

TRADE WITH EUROPE

10 rSB BDITOB 0» TBB FllßSg. Sir,—ln "The Press" of Saturday last there appeared the report of a protest lodged by the Consul for Switzerland against the quotation of figures relating to trade done between Switzerland and New Zealand which are likely to be extremely misleading, and this protest is very timely. The whole trouble is that a substantial amount of our exports to Great Britain is resold by London merchants to European consumers. In the New Zealand Year Book these re-exports are shown as ranging from £4,000.000 to £8,000,000 per annum, and particulars are given as to the different class of goods re-exported, but, unfortunately, no particulars are available as to the different European countries to which these re-exports have gone, and it is therefore impossible to obtain a « proper statement of the total purchases of New Zealand goods purchased by each European country. It is possible, however, by taking Europe as a whole to get a somewhat better grip of the position. For the seven months to July 31 last In round figures New Zealand purchased from Europe goods to the value of £1,170,000. During the same period New Zealand sold direct to Europe goods to the value of £1,260,000, and also sold to Europe through London re-export goods to an estimated, value of £3,500.000 (working on a yearly average of £6,000,000) making total sales to Europe of £4,760,000. It will thus be seen that New Zealand cannot blame European countries for not taking New Zealand goods in exchange for the goods Europe seils to New Zealand. The position is really the other way round. It is a great pity that the Government Statistician does -'not give us details of iht destinations of these re-exports. Apparently he has obtained the data about the values of different classes of goods re-ex-ported. One would think it would have also been possible at the same time to obtain data as to the values reshipped to different European countries and thus mcke it possible to compile a table giving a more accurate idea of our trade relations with different European countries. Taking direct sales and re-exports, Europe consumes about £8.000,000 annually of New Zealand goods, and this trade should not be jeopardised. This is quite likely to happen if people go on ignorantly and irresponsibly quoting figures likely to mislead, very often with the idea of causing the Government some political embarrassment. It seems quite natural for some persons, either in politics or commerce, to . quote figures calculated to create an erroneous impression. That is one reason why the Companies Act was recently altered. It is a great pity that something of the same kind could not be done to control the accuracy of figures quoted for political purposes. What the average elector requires is the truth. He does not want to have his mind inflamed against any of the countries of Europe who may be valuable customers for New Zealand goods, simply because some one has a growl against the Government. The only cause for complaint against the Government is that it has not, before this, seen that the Government Statistician obtained and published the details of values of the re-exports of New Zealand produce from Great Britain to different European countries. It is to be hoped that this matter will be attended to.-Yours, etc., . September 16, 1935.